Howell Heating
About us
Howell Heating is a full service residential and light commercial heating and air conditioning company. We offer HVAC services and installation of furnaces, air conditioners, humidifiers, filtration systems and any other indoor air quality needs you may have. We believe in old-fashioned service, always treating our customers fair and supporting our community.
Business highlights
21 years of experience
Services we offer
We specialize in repairing, air conditioners, air purifiers and more., and maintaining furnaces, heat pumps, humidifiers, installing, thermostats
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
4.920 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 95% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 5% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% |
Showing 1-20 of 20 reviews
Randall H.
Jan 2021
Zach was prompt, polite and profesional. Would highly recomend this service
Response from Howell Heating
"Thank you for the review [Member Name Removed]! Being a small, local shop, we are always truly grateful for recommendations from happy homeowners like you! If you have any future HVAC needs, don't hesitate to call!"
DOUGLAS H.
Dec 2020
Prompt response for a quote. Best price for the same equipment as others. The installation was quick and very professional.
Karen B.
Sep 2020
Zack came out the next day and fixed the problem in 15 minutes. Works great! Very happy I called them!
Response from Howell Heating
"Thanks [Member Name Removed]! I appreciate you taking the time to leave this great review. If there is ever anything else you need don't hesitate to call."
Laura M.
Feb 2018
Zach was very responsive, honest and good priced. I would definitely hire again.
Daniel M.
Dec 2017
Our furnace was making a very loud shaking sound every time the heat kicked on. In the past we had used a larger regional shop for maintenance but they were booked for weeks so I decided to search Angie's List for a local shop hoping to get it fixed sooner. Despite it being the week of Thanksgiving Zack answered on the first call and was able to get out a couple days later. Upon inspection he realized we needed a new assembly and got the part ordered for our older furnace, coming back early the following week to install it. We found him very professional, clean, and responsive. My wife and young child were home during the services calls and we're totally comfortable with him. And he didn't charge us for coming out twice, combining the inspection and repair into one call - something the larger shop we had used in the past didn't do. Our neighbors from down the road actually texted my wife having seen his van in the driveway and said they had used him for a repair a couple weeks prior and we're happy with the service as well. We'll definitely use him again for any heating or AC needs we have in the future. Thanks, Zack!
Joe P.
Oct 2017
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Amy Z.
Jul 2017
Initially he came out and replaced our thermostats and circuit board. Everything went well but it seemed like dampers for zones were not working. I called him to have him come verify that it was all hooked up correctly and telling the dampers to open and close. Upon his arrival he immediately discovered they were stuck and needed to be replaced. He said the price would be around $600 I said ok and asked if I owed anything for his brief visit and he stated I owed $102. I questioned that because he was coming back to verify his work I expected to pay him for his time but thought that was a bit expensive for a 5 minute visit seeing I already spend $800 with him and was going to be spending another $600. He immediately got very upset and made me feel so uncomfortable in my own home with my 3 little children there. He stormed out and told me to hire a different company. I truly to this day do not know why he acted like this. I was literally writing the check out to him when he got so upset. I Have never felt so uncomfortable with a person in my home and will never have a man come in my home again unless my husband is home. It startled me that much. It was very disappointing as i previously told my neighbors what a great guy he was and how nice it was to find a good company like his. I now take that back.
Response from Howell Heating
"I recently came across this review and for the sake of clarity and for the reputation of my family business, I decided I would like to have my side heard as well: [Member Name Removed]called me last winter with questions about thermostats. After discussing at great length her options, she told me she would just buy her own thermostats from the big box store and have me install them. I explained to her that I could not warranty any product that I didn't supply, which she understood and we scheduled a time. The install of the new thermostats along with a zone panel, on Feb 13th, 2017, went exactly as planned. The total she paid for the job was $461, for everything, which I still believe is a very fair price. Four months later I received a phone call in which the customer accused me of not doing the job correctly. She stated that the thermostats were not working, that I had probably installed something incorrectly and that she wanted me to come out and check. I tried to explain that the thermostats had worked properly over the winter, and that it didn't sound like a thermostat issue to me, but that I would be happy to come out and look at the system. Despite her lack of trust in my previous work and my schedule being booked solid, I went out to her house to take a look. After inspecting the system, I found a problem with the zone dampers. The damper issue was not caused by thermostats and was an entirely different problem. I explained to [Member Name Removed]what I had found and what it would take to remedy her problem. Throughout the phone calls and that days service call the customer repeatedly questioned my ability to do my job properly and made multiple veiled accusations that I was way too expensive. When she asked me what it would cost for the days visit, I told her "$102 for the service call". She again made frustrated comments about the cost. As she was starting to write the check I realized that I was not good fit for her as a contractor. She didn't trust my skill, my knowledge or my prices. So I told her "You know what, never mind, I am not charging you for the service call. I think you should find a different contractor. Please just call another company." I picked up my tool bucket, my paperwork and I left. I didn't leave upset or angry, I never once raised my voice. I just turned around and walked out the door. I am sincerely sorry that she felt startled at how abruptly I left, that was certainly not my intent. I also have a wife and daughter at home and would never intentionally make a homeowner feel uncomfortable. The way she was acting towards me, I honestly assumed she'd be relieved to not have to pay the bill and happy to use be able to use a different contractor. I work hard to be professional, to be skilled at my trade and to earn a living for my family. I work REALLY hard to earn the trust and satisfaction of each of my customers. I am disappointed that I was not able to provide the level and quality of service that [Member Name Removed]wanted and I do sincerely hope she was able to find a better fit in an HVAC contractor. - Zack Howell, Owner"
Mike V.
Jul 2016
Our air conditioning unit stopped working during a heat spell. I contacted Zack at Howell heating who said he was very busy but would attempt to get to us in a couple of days. He called the next day and got our unit running again. because our A/C unit is 14 years old and statistically and potentially nearing the end of its life I inquired about replacing the unit versus repairing. Zack gave me a quote to repair it, put in a part, would need to order others to complete the job. He never mentioned replacing the unit, i inquired, he never tried to sell me on replacing. My impression was that he truly wanted to get us up and running and make the customer happy. In the end after research and phone calls i chose to replace our unit. I scored Zack an A in everything. Know that I could have shopped around and attempted to find a cheaper install. But in the end my research revealed he was on the low end of average. Because of his forth right communication, open communication and laid back customer service driven personality Zack gets an A in all categories. I recommend him highly for any heating and air conditioning needs.
Jessica R.
Jun 2016
He came in and did a complete removal/upgrade of my ancient unit. He had to drill extra holes to make everything up to code and made sure everything was sealed and clean before he left.
When he came out to inspect our ancient unit, he was very honest and upfront about it. He gave us options and didn't try to up sell us to the most expensive model. He was able to answer all my questions and I felt at ease.
When he came out to inspect our ancient unit, he was very honest and upfront about it. He gave us options and didn't try to up sell us to the most expensive model. He was able to answer all my questions and I felt at ease.
Linda A.
Jun 2016
It went so well that we will never use any other company besides Howell. Zack is a Rock Star of epic proportions. He was on time, professional, knowledgeable, educational, efficient, meticulous, honest and hard working. Zack is our guy until the end of time. He showed up handled the business at hand and it was evident that he is passionate about his craft and truly cares about the customer. We initially had another company come out to diagnose our issue and the quote was almost $400 to repair. We called Zack from Howell for a second opinion, he came out and charged us a mili-fraction of that. The bill totaled $102.00. What a gift! Thanks Howell Heating & Air!!
Judy M.
Nov 2015
Howell Heating
2009 W. Broadway Ave., Forest Lake, MN 55025
Zach and his helper showed up on time and completed the replacement in about 5 1/2 hours. He had estimated 5 hours. They cleaned up afterwards and made sure the furnace was working. We had had a change in our plans/date for the furnace installation and Zach was able to accommodate us. So we were not without heat for long. We also had options for type of furnace and we choose the one that seemed best for us. There were less expensive and more expensive ones to choose from.
I waited a week to do this review to make sure everything was working the way it was supposed to work. It has been. Heat distribution seems much better and the house seems overall more comfortable. The noise difference between our 80% efficient furnace and the new 96%, is dramatic. We can barely hear the new furnace when it kicks on and starts to wrap up. Old one sounded like a jet engine. We haven't had a real cold snap yet, that will be the real test, but we are confident it will work well.
Thanks Zach for your help.
Judy M.
Sep 2015
He was great to work with. He responded quickly and checked back with us to make sure it was working properly before he left for his vacation. He was very helpful.
Stacie K.
Aug 2015
Zack was great! Arrived when he said, very professional. He was very honest, told us what we needed now, what we should save for, how long we could expect things to last, etc. He'll be the one we call from now on!
CATHY G.
Jul 2014
During a remodeling project at our house, we discovered that our 23-year-old air conditioner could do with replacing. Zack's was the third estimate we obtained. He arrived on time, was very clear and knowledgeable about the product, and discussed our needs with us till we were completely satisfied. He even suggested that we get a smaller unit than what we had currently, which we agreed to. This saved us some money, and he assured us would be efficient. Based on his knowledge and expertise, we decided on the spot to go with him. It took a few weeks to get the unit, then on our scheduled installation day we were rained out so had to wait another five days or so before he could install the new unit. He spent several hours removing the old and installing the new unit, and also mentioned that there was a spark coming out of one of the boxes attached to the house, which we have since had checked out. Thus far, the unit has performed admirably. We haven't received our electric bill yet, so we're not sure how it will compare to previous years, but we will certainly use Zack's company in future for our heating and air conditioning needs.
Vicki S.
Jul 2014
Our central air conditioning had stopped working. We contacted Howell Heating in Forest Lake, and received a very prompt response. Zack arrived at appointed time, and was very professional, knowledgeable and honest. Diagnosed problem and performed repair within a half hour. Fantastic service, we highly recommend this provider and will definitely call him for any other HVAC needs.
SUSAN J.
Nov 2013
Facing an $800 repair on 15 yo furnace, I decided to get a new one.
Got three bids. Zack's was significantly lower than the other two (same model in all three bids). One of the other companies suggested I go with a higher capacitry furnace then the existing one. Zack said I could actually use a model smaller than my existing one. Of course the higher capacity was more expense. I went a model slightly smaller than my existing furnace.
The AL reviews were good so I decided to go with Zack.
They arrived on time and when right to work. I checked the part number on the box containing the new furnace and it didn't seem to be what I ordered. When I asked Zack he said he would call to make sure it was the correct furnace. I went upstairs and called Lennox and talked to someone who said the model number did not have the variable speed motor I had purchaced. Of course now I was starting to get worked up. Zack was very patient with me. He had looked inside the furnace and said it was indeed the variable speed motor model. Because of my conversation with Lennox, I wasn't convinced. We called Lennox on the speaker phone and they assured me it was the variable speed motor model. Since Lennox had given me two answers I was still not convinced. I searched for the model number online with Zack and I was finally reassured that it was the variable speed model. Keep in mind he knew the whole time it was the variable speed model because he had looked inside the unit. Many contractors might have gotten upset with me, but Zack attitude was lets keep checking until you are satisfied.
Zack had filled all the forms required to get tax credits, rebates, etc.
Overall top notch service at a great price.
Got three bids. Zack's was significantly lower than the other two (same model in all three bids). One of the other companies suggested I go with a higher capacitry furnace then the existing one. Zack said I could actually use a model smaller than my existing one. Of course the higher capacity was more expense. I went a model slightly smaller than my existing furnace.
The AL reviews were good so I decided to go with Zack.
They arrived on time and when right to work. I checked the part number on the box containing the new furnace and it didn't seem to be what I ordered. When I asked Zack he said he would call to make sure it was the correct furnace. I went upstairs and called Lennox and talked to someone who said the model number did not have the variable speed motor I had purchaced. Of course now I was starting to get worked up. Zack was very patient with me. He had looked inside the furnace and said it was indeed the variable speed motor model. Because of my conversation with Lennox, I wasn't convinced. We called Lennox on the speaker phone and they assured me it was the variable speed motor model. Since Lennox had given me two answers I was still not convinced. I searched for the model number online with Zack and I was finally reassured that it was the variable speed model. Keep in mind he knew the whole time it was the variable speed model because he had looked inside the unit. Many contractors might have gotten upset with me, but Zack attitude was lets keep checking until you are satisfied.
Zack had filled all the forms required to get tax credits, rebates, etc.
Overall top notch service at a great price.
Steve W.
Nov 2013
Zack was within the window of time we had scheduled and actually called 30 minutes beforehand to let me know when he would arrive. He was professional and courteous. He offered suggestions for improving the effectiveness of my furnace. Zack was thorough in the inspection and maintenance he performed.
Suzanne C.
Sep 2013
Very well, will use again.
William M.
Feb 2013
My experience with him was very good. He did an excellent job. He owns the business and he did the work. The quality of work was done professionally.
Brian H.
Feb 2013
Howell Heating was recommended by a neighbor. I contacted Zach (Howell Heating) as well as a few other companies for estimates on replacing our old furnace. He was very informative on products as well as available rebates. Zach took the time to understand our family's needs, and did not try to oversell (which was the case with some other companies). They were prompt, professional, and informative. I will definitely use him again!
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
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FAQ
Howell Heating is currently rated 4.9 overall out of 5.
Howell Heating accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
Yes, Howell Heating offers free project estimates.
No, Howell Heating does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Howell Heating does not offer a senior discount.
No, Howell Heating does not offer emergency services.
No, Howell Heating does not offer warranties.